Puppy Rescue Mission

"We found Landfill inside the perimeter of our base near the burn pit/dump back in September. The mother had passed away and Landfill was just a newborn clinging to his mother’s carcass, unable to see and covered with insects. The other puppies in the litter were nowhere to be found and presumed dead. He was barely alive, dehydrated and overall in bad shape. The guys brought him back to our team area and nursed him back to health knowing that if they had left him, wild dogs would have eaten him. Today, he is a vibrant, thriving young puppy. Care packages arrive weekly with dog food, heartworm pills and toys for him to chew on. He has a shot record, which includes the rabies vaccination."

"As we draw down our presence in Afghanistan, we cannot imagine leaving Landfill behind to who knows what fate. Landfill will certainly not be able to fend for himself if left behind. He is able to stay with our team in Afghanistan as long as we are here."

The soldier added that his kids back home already knew and loved Landfill via Skype, and hoped to make him part of the family. TPRM's network of supporters came through, raising the funds for Landfill's transport within hours.

Since we first reported on The Puppy Rescue Mission ("Puppies saving soldiers. Soldiers saving puppies") a few years ago, the group has built a huge international network, committed to getting the dogs who make a lifesaving difference to military and contract personnel serving in the Middle East out of danger. Just about every day there's a call from somebody in the service trying to get dogs — from adopted strays like Landfill to highly trained bomb-sniffing dogs — to safety. Hundreds of human-canine "battle buddy" teams have been reunited Stateside, and the Facebook page often features a heartwarming new installment in the happy-ever-after photos.

TPRM expects to bring home almost 200 dogs this year. It's truly a village effort, with an average of 100 donors contributing to each dog's rescue, augmented by local and online fundraising events from bike rallies and wine tastings to Rob Zombie concerts (he's a big fan). Find out how you can help.